Davis, Abbott trade attacks over equal pay, ethics

Sen. Wendy Davis and Attorney General Greg Abbott traded attacks Monday, with her slamming him over equal pay and him accusing her of "questionable ethics" in regard to her legal practice while a state senator.

Neither attack was unexpected. Equal pay is an obvious issue for Davis, who is hoping to attract female voters in her uphill race for the governor's mansion. Abbott, meanwhile, has been in full-time public office for much of his career, in contrast to Davis and most other lawmakers who must balance their public service with private jobs.

The exchange of fire made clear that neither side is willing to ease up on the attack mode that carried both through last week's primaries.

Davis began the day by pressing Republican Abbott to say whether he would have vetoed a state version of the federal Lilly Ledbetter law, as Gov. Rick Perry did last session.

Davis, who sponsored the bill that would have reflected federal law by allowing people to bring lawsuits for 180 days after the last allegedly discriminatory paycheck was received, said Abbott "needs to stop dodging and give a straight answer about his opposition to the Texas Equal Pay Act."

Abbott has voiced support for equal pay but has not said directly whether he would have vetoed the bill. He has cited other protections in state law and the constitution, and his campaign has noted that the federal law covers Texas.

Texas Democrats noted that Abbott's office defended Prairie View A&M University against a lawsuit by an Indian professor who alleged pay discrimination based on her race and nationality. When the university said Texas' statute of limitations - 180 days after the payments began - had expired on the case, the professor contended that the more generous statute of limitations in the federal Ledbetter law applied to her claim.

The Texas Supreme Court did not agree and dismissed the lawsuit in 2012.

Turning the tables

Asked whether he would have vetoed the state version of the Lilly Ledbetter law, Abbott cited existing protections and told WFAA television in Dallas that there "shouldn't be any differential in payment because of sex."

Translator

On March 6, Texas voters will decide who will carry the Democratic party's mantle into the battle for governor and a slew of other statewide offices. Click here for full coverage of the primary elections. Find our voters guide here.

Davis last week released to the San Antonio Express-News/Houston Chronicle a list of her public-sector legal clients in her practice with Brian Newby, Perry's former chief of staff. The list, however, did not include all the public-sector clients represented by the firm. She released only the clients she handles.

Her campaign said Davis would not release her private-sector clients, saying they have the right to expect confidentiality through attorney-client privilege.

Hirsch said that if Davis "truly has nothing to hide - as she claims - then she should release the contracts of all Newby Davis clients."

Davis spokesman Bo Delp responded by accusing Abbott of being associated with "special political favors and insider deals. He knows that Wendy Davis has acted with transparency, voluntarily releasing all of her public clients even though she wasn't required by law to do so."

Abbott's campaign cited measures he has proposed to strengthen laws regarding legislative conflicts of interest, saying that "government transparency and accountability will be the hallmarks of Greg Abbott's agenda."